Should've Kissed You Then
by fvckyeahbechloe
Summary: Beca realizes why her unconscious annoyance with Chicago Walp is a thing. She just jumped off a yacht in a blaze of fire, so she considers that it might be time to get some things off her chest. - Bechloe PP3 Oneshot


Here's a little oneshot I wrote since I saw PP3. It's kind of angsty but also quirky so, sorry for the whiplash. Bechloe will always be canon to me, no walp boi can ruin that. Despite the bechloe outcome, PP3 was amazing so I recommend you go see it if you haven't yet :)

 **PP3 Spoilers ahead!**

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Beca gazed down at her boots, lightly stepping in them to feel the water soak up her socks even further. The blanket around her was beginning to feel cold as it dampened from her wet clothes. She forced her teeth to stop chattering, taking deep breaths as she heard the Bellas speaking in the other room.

She had stepped aside from them after the military brought them back to land, finding herself alone on the terrace.

She thinks about the World Championship three years ago, recalling that her biggest fears had to do with opening up to those around her and what the future held in regards of her career. Now she was jumping of yachts with explosions and her best friend fending off her own father. All night, she had been contemplating how to approach the Bellas about DJ Khaled's offer. When Amy told her about what had happened to the rest of the Bellas though, Beca's actions drove on fear of her family getting hurt.

Approaching the situation without any help was idiotic and reckless of her and Amy. Especially since they now have some connections with the military bases they're touring with.

 _Chicago_ would've assisted them in a heartbeat.

Beca didn't want Chicago there though.

She had only spoken to the man a few times, but was finding herself searching for flaws each time they interacted. She desperately tried to understand what it was about him that made her feel defensive and annoyed when he spoke. She couldn't find it though. He's kind, handsome, and quite a gentleman actually. She hasn't met a guy like that in a long time if she were being honest with herself.

She hadn't been able to realize what her problem is with him until she was hanging off the back of the yacht beside Amy, even more alarm seeping into her words as she played the plan over in her head.

" _This is a bad idea_."

" _We should get help."_

 _"You couldn't have mentioned that your father was a crime lord before now?"_

 _"What if they hurt them?"_

 _"What if they hurt her?"_

 _"Oh god, I'm gonna pull a Posen."_

Amy had given her a look she'd seen many times before, but it took a second for Beca to realize why it was intensified in the moment. Beca stared back at her best friend, swallowing hard. She could feel heat rise up in her cheeks and chest, her unnerved heartbeat only escalating.

She had finally understood everything about her unconscious irritation with Chicago when she snuck onto the boat, blending in behind a frightened redhead.

As Beca surfaced the water later, gasping for air with Amy clinging onto her; her first instinct was to look for _Chloe_. She was swimming beside Aubrey, hair sticking to her neck and face covered with a startled layer. Bright lights began to pass over each of them, making her squint up to see helicopters flying over.

An emergency boat had reached them first soon after, pulling up each of the Bellas out of the icy waters. Beca was the last to climb over the edge, Zeke assisting her onboard.

Chloe was on the other side of the small deck, holding herself in a heavy shiver with shaken eyes. Beca began to step forward, but stopped herself as a blanket wrapped over the redhead's shoulders from behind. Chloe turned her head quickly, her lips curving up as she discovered Chicago himself standing there with his hands on her shoulders.

A moment passed as Beca stood there, watching them. He had his hands on Chloe's arms now, trying to warm her up. Her smile was growing by the second.

Beca's heart sunk as deep as the fat dingo bitch.

Beca recoiled to the other side of the deck, sitting down with her own blanket around her. She was feeling nauseous, and she couldn't tell if it was from the boat ride or the sight of him making Chloe _happy_.

She leans against the wall outside of the Spanish building now, looking out at the foreign city. It's cold out but she can't think about sitting in the same room as the redhead right now, knowing the girl's cheeriness would be an effect from his cause.

Closing her eyes, she sighs and pulls the blanket tighter around herself. It didn't feel warm anymore, but she thought the attempt would create an illusion of the sense.

Images play over her mind of the girl she met seven years ago. From the moment Beca's eyes landed on her in that blue dress that matched her eyes. To the harmonized note sung in the air in that Barden shower stall. To the crack in Chloe's voice at Aubrey's retreat before World's, challenging Beca's fear of opening up to any of them. From the song sung from Chloe's lips during the bonfire that night.

To the moment Chloe handed Beca a key to their apartment with the biggest grin on her face.

All of those years, watching Chloe wake up early before her or Amy. Smelling the coffee and hearing sounds of magazine pages turning with soft hums over soft lips. Auburn hair brushing past Beca's shoulders as the girl twirled past her, rushing out the door to work with a song in her voice.

Each significant detail about the girl overwhelms Beca in the moment, making her realize that she couldn't live the same without the girl's presence so close in her life.

Her eyes open and she can see the stars above and the water they emerged from, Chloe's voice becoming louder the next second before Beca can process it.

She turns, seeing the girl in thought walk towards her with curiosity in her eyes.

Beca can see the question on her lips, making her walk forward and crash into the girl before she can say anything.

The blanket around her had dropped, her arms wrapped around Chloe's shoulders tightly as she buries her head into the girl's damp hair.

There's hesitation in Chloe's stance, surprise at it's highest.

Her arms wrap around Beca naturally though, hugging her close as she rests her head against the small brunette.

Beca finally felt that sense of warmth she had been searching for since she jumped off that yacht.

Chloe's arms feel so accepted around her, jumping Beca's thoughts back to the first hug she ever shared with the fellow Bella. It was after a practice that first year at Barden. Aubrey and Beca had disputed over a simple detail in the routine, creating tension throughout the whole day. Chloe had approached Beca after practice, surprising her with a quick hug and the sweetest words of encouragement. It had thrown the brunette off her balance, watching the girl skip away to her next class after.

Beca thought that maybe hugs weren't so bad after that, at least not in the redhead's arms.

"It's freezing out here Becs, and you're still wet." Chloe breaks the silence, rubbing her hand against the shorter girl's back. "You're gonna get sick."

"I don't care." Beca mumbles, eyes still shut as she breathes in the briny smell in the girl's hair.

"You will tomorrow when you begin to sniffle." The redhead chuckles, letting Beca recognize the quirk in her lips.

"I don't know what's gonna happen tomorrow Chlo." Beca replies softly.

The redhead hesitates before pulling her head away from the brunette's, scrunching her eyebrows down at Beca. "What does that mean?"

Beca stares back at her, wanting to reach out and calm the sudden stress in Chloe's expression. It's dark, but the redhead's eyes still look so bright.

Maybe it's because they're in a different country, or maybe it's because Chloe hasn't let go of Beca yet either, but whatever it is; Beca can't stop herself from speaking.

"I just quit my job." She shakes her head softly, "And was almost killed by a yacht named the _Fat Dingo Bitch_."

Chloe smiles at that, hearing the disbelief in the brunette's words.

"It's not funny. You almost died too." Beca quickly adds when she see's the expression Chloe always makes when she's holding back a giggle.

"I know, I know." The redhead sobers up, biting her lip before continuing. "Go on."

Beca sighs, starting over with a bit of hesitation. "I just quit my job, almost died, DJ Khaled wants me to tour with him –"

"Wait, what?"

Beca swallows, looking down between them. She pulls away from the girl then, backing up as she nods and puts her hands in the back pockets of her jeans. "I was gonna tell you tonight. He wants me to open up for him tomorrow night and I don't really know what to do about it, or about the fact that you're leaving, and how I probably can't even perform properly without you guys…"

Her eyes don't leave the ground, all she can do is look at Chloe's shoes. She can hear the girl's head churning; feeling frustrated herself, for not saying the right words.

"I'm not leaving? I-"

Beca looks up then, seeing the girl even more confused and slightly offended.

"Yes, you are." Beca jumps in, shaking her head. Her throat becomes heavy at the words leaving her own mouth, her hands making fists at her sides as she tries to fight off the emotion threatening her.

Chloe appears suddenly cautious, knowing more than anyone when Beca is about to break.

Chloe steps forward making Beca shake her head and step back, looking away from the girl as her first tear slips down her cheek.

"Becs…" Chloe pouts, sounding heartbroken at the sudden rejection.

"He's perfect."

" _What_?"

"He's perfect for you. He's going to make you real happy Chloe. I can tell just by the way you look at each other." Beca nods her head, before trying to walk past the girl. Beca couldn't let Chloe see her cry right now.

Chloe's hand grabs her arm though, keeping her back. "Dammit Beca, stay here."

"I can't –"

"What you can't do, is this again." Chloe interrupts her, placing her hands on the shorter girl's shoulders. "You can't come so close to telling me and then running away before you do. We're better than we were back then, okay?"

Beca looks up at her, noticing the understanding in the girl's eyes. "I've never come so close to telling you… _this_."

"Yes you have." Chloe argues with a small smile, "You have so many times…and I-I've waited for so long, and yet you never finished through. So please Beca…Just _tell me_."

Beca stares at the girl, trying to understand what Chloe fully means. _How could she know?_

"I-" She begins, meeting the girl's gaze. Her cheeks feel like they're on fire and her heart is beating faster than it ever has. "I'm scared that if I do, you're gonna leave for sure."

Chloe immediately shakes her head, disagreeing against the statement. Her hands drop down Beca's arms, her fingers slowing intertwining with the brunette's. "There's nothing that you could say, that would make me want to leave you." Chloe smiles sweetly, making Beca swallow hard as she makes her next decision.

Her hands leave Chloe's as she raises them to the girl's neck, shocking the girl as Beca pulls the redhead to her.

Beca's eyes shut out a tear as her lips meet Chloe's, kissing her through all of the moments she passed up in the past seven years. She feels the softest touch from Chloe's hands against her elbows, making Beca feel the need to deepen the embrace.

Chloe kisses her back, just as desperately.

Beca had never kissed another girl before, but now, having her lips connected with Chloe's; it finally feels like the action has a more understandable purpose. Like why Chloe loves those cheesy romcoms, and why Beca hates any physical content with anyone but loves waking up to find Chloe in her bed, arm resting over Beca's stomach.

Beca runs out of breath quickly, having to pull back. She opens her eyes to see bright blue staring back, a sweet beam on the girl's face.

Beca opens her mouth to say something, but Chloe engulfs her in another hug quickly before she can. The brunette wraps her arms around the girl's waist, pulling her in closer.

"So does this mean, you're like… _cool_ …with what I just did?"

Chloe chuckles into Beca's hair, squeezing her tighter. "I'm very cool with it Becs."

"Good." Beca nods, sighing in relief. She looks out past the girl, holding her close as she takes in the moment. Neither of them let go of each other as they process the previous minute.

"You're gonna do such great things Beca, I mean…you already have, but…" Chloe starts with contentment in her voice. "If you don't want to produce music anymore, and you want to sing. Or do both…whatever it is, just do it. I understand why they picked you, I knew something like this would happen ever since I first heard you sing."

Beca smiles at the memory before blushing at the thought of it all. "I should've just kissed you then."

"Maybe." Chloe grins as she pulls back, keeping her face close to Beca's and her arms around the girl's shoulders.

"Or maybe when you pulled me in close at that party, drunk off your face…or in that tent…" Beca continues, a smirk on her lips. "Or a week ago, when you had your hands on my tits and my back against a wall."

Chloe laughs, hitting Beca right in her chest with admiration. "Yeah, that could've saved some drama and confusion."

Beca nods, feeling surprised that she enjoys the way they haven't looked away from each other yet. "I made it in time then, right?"

Chloe tilts her head at that, the amusement on her lips falling as they quirk in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Beca shrugs, continuing to smile back at her. "Nothing but respect to our National Guard, but…"

Chloe nods in understanding at that statement, eyes softening. "That would've never mounted to anything past this trip."

"But…" Beca begins, feeling confused. "You seemed-"

"I didn't know if you were gonna ever want me that way." Chloe admits with a soft expression, "I knew you had these feelings, but I didn't know if you ever wanted things to change…"

"So you moved on…" Beca continues the sentence, swallowing hard as she nods.

"I've always had to." Chloe simply says, staring back down at Beca's lips. "But now I don't have to…right?"

Beca smiles at that, immediately shaking her head. "No."

The redhead grins before leaning in and kissing Beca once more, softly concluding their issues for the night. Beca lets herself smile into the embrace, feeling content in the moment. She never imagined she'd be in this position, but now that she understands what all those thoughts about the girl in the past meant, she can't imagine needing anything different.

Chloe pulls back and kisses her on the cheek softly, "C'mon, let's go inside. Kissing you won't be as fun if we're both sick."

Beca rolls her eyes, reaching up and grabbing the girl's hands from around her neck. She can feel Chloe's smile directed at her as she intertwines her fingers with the redhead's. Chloe sticks close to her as they walk inside the first hallway.

"Maybe I'll sing something gay tomorrow...so I don't have to tell the girls. I mean, I didn't know…how could they?"

"Oh sweetie…" Chloe stops her there, "Everyone knows about how gay you are."

Beca scrunches her eyebrows together, thinking hard before shrugging and accepting the statement. Chloe giggles at the action before they walk inside, each of them aware of the freedom in their stride.


End file.
